Switching apparatus



April 20, 1954 Filed Dec. 14, 1948 H. E. MALONE swncamc APPARATUS '3 Sheets-Sheet l EM i I Q2 INVENTOR.

mwmxmkm April 20, 1954 H; E. MALONE SWITCHING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 14, 1948 INVENTOR. M21015 filed)! April 20, 1954 H. E. MALONE 2,676,221

SWITCHING APPARATUS Filed Dec. 14, 1948 a Sheets-Sheet :5

INV EN TOR.

GTAXLMAW Patented Apr. 2 O, 1954 SWITCHING APPARATUS Homer E. Malone, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Perfex Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Wisconsin Application December 14, 1948, Serial No. 65,233

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates generally to switching apparatus and more particularly to thermostatic switching apparatus for the control of the application of heat to domestic hot water storage tanks.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a switching apparatus which is well adapted to mass production by virtue of calibrating adjustments which can easily and conveniently be made giving uniform accuracy in response of the apparatus although the dimensiens of the parts making up the apparatus are held within relatively wide tolerances.

A further object is to provide a switching apparatus having a pivotally mounted, movable contact-carrying member movable between two positions, the position of the pivotal mounting being adjustable to vary the distance through which the contact-carrying member must be moved in travelling from one to the other of its alternate positions.

Other objects and attendant advantages will be appreciated by those skilled in this art as the invention becomes better understood. by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 represents a rear view of a portion of the thermostatic switching apparatus including the temperature responsive element and the casing.

Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of the thermostatic switching mechanism taken generally along the line II-II of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the switching apparatus installed on a hot water storage tank.

Fig. 4 represents a perspective, exploded view of the switch structure as distinguished from the temperature responsive portion of the apparatus.

Fig. 5 represents a section taken generally along the line VV of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a schematic showing of they adjustable relationship of portions of the switch structure shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is similar to Fig. 6 but illustrates the effect on the switch travel when certain parts of the structure are of incorrect dimensions.

Fig. 8 is similar to Fig. 7 but illustrates the utility of one feature of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view, similar to Fig. 2 show ing the single pole modification of the switch structure.

Figs. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate an actuating means for the switching apparatus which in the form illustrated includes thermally responsive means responding to the surface temperature of a hot water storage tank. This actuating means is described in detail and claimed in my Patent Number 2,597,651, issued May 20, 1952.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, there is shown rectangular casing l0 having extending portions H and I2 which are utilized in mounting the casing it on a suitable mounting bracket [3 (Figure 3). Bracket I3 is secured by any suitable means, such as welding to a hot water storage tank It.

Pivotally mounted within casing I0 is a support member it, the pivotal mounting being acr complished by means of the tabs I1 and [8 extending loosely through rectangular openings in the side of casing iii. A thermal responsive switch actuator 19, consisting of a bimetal strip is secured by any suitable means such as rivets, to the end of member 16 adjacent the pivotal mounting tabs I! and I8. Strip H! has its free end notched, as at 2|, for engagement with a connecting means or link 22 formed of insulating material, which transmits motion of strip [9 to the switching mechanism as will presently be explained.

A three sided housing 23 is mounted atop the casing Iii and secured thereto by any suitable means such as screws 24 (Figure 3) and downwardly extending tab 26 (Figure 2). An adjusting post 21 extends through an opening in the top of housing 23 and through an opening in casing I0. Post 2'! is held against longitudinal displacement by means of a bracket 28, channel shaped in cross-section, having a first arm or flange 29 and a second arm or flange 30, arms 29 and as each having openings therein through which post 27 extends. Splines on post 21 are forced into the opening in arm 29, thus rigidly securing post 21 to bracket 28. It will be noted that the central web portion of bracket 28 does not extend to the top of the housing 23 (Figure 2), thus serving to permit insertion of a spring washer 33 between the top of housing 23 and the arm as which resiliently urges post 21 to its extreme downward position as determined by arm 38 of bracket 28. Bracket 28 bears against an anti-friction washer 34, inserted between arm 38 and casing It.

Post 2? extends freely through an opening in member is, thereby serving as a lateral support but permitting limited longitudinal movement of the free end of member 16. The free end of member 16 is formed so as to provide an arcuate cam'track 36 having a high point 31 and a low housing and the interior of easing The pur pose of spring as is to bias member is upwaroy against a cam follower M which is threaded through an opening in arm 3t and extends downwardly to abut cam track The arm. 29 has an upturned portion all which exten through an arcuate slot 3 (Figure 3) in the top of hous ing 23 and in conjunction with suitable markings which may be inscribed adjacent slot 53 serves to indicate the rotational position of post 2?, and consequently cam follower ll with reference to cam track 3%.

From Figure 2 it will thus be seen that co nter-- clockwise rotation of post 2? will move cam. lower at to the high point on cam track Bil. Since post 2? cannot move longitudinally, member i6 and consequently bimetal 19' will be moved to its lowermost reference position. Conversely, cloclo wise rotation of post 2? places cam follower Iii in the low point on cam track 36 and establishes the high reference position for bimetal i9. justrnent of post 2! thus fixes the control point of the apparatus by establishing the relerence position of strip 19 from which tern. erature change may cause further movement strip iii in either direction depending on the direction of the temperature change.

Referring now to Figures 2, 4-, and it will be seen that the switching apparatus, operated by bimetal ii in response to temperature change, is enclosed in a box-lile case formed of Bakelite or other similar insulating material and has an upper half comprising switch plate or base (shown inverted in Fig. 4) and a lower half C0110." prising switch plate is. This Bakeli e switch casing is mounted adjacent the housing 23 and is secured in place by means of screws 32 (Figure 1) which extend through casing ill, through switch plate 46 and are threaded into tapped holes (not shown) in the switch plate d5.

Jpon reference to Figure 4, it will be noted that the stationary parts of the switching apparatus are mounted on the switch plate, or base, 15. This switching apparatus, as illustrated in Figure 4, is of the double throw type and contact mem ers al 4 s9, and 5t, each of which has a threaded shank shaped to receive a tool in sortable through an opening 5! (Figure 5) in the plate 55. Each contact member shank is adjustable by such a tool in one of the lugs 52, and 54, respectively. These lugs provide an electrical connection between the contacts ll, =19, and and the terminal screws 5?, 58, Eli, and lit respectively. Lugs 52, 53, 5:3 and 55 are secured to plate or base 45 by any suitable means such as tubular rivets the central bore of which is threaded to receive the terminal screws 5?, '58, 59, and 60. These terminal screws are readily accessible from outside the Bakelite casing and have interposed between them barriers 8i and 62 formed integrally with switch plate 15 as may best be seen in Figure 3.

A cradle or hinge mounting member 65 is adjustably secured to the plate or base 45 by means of screws El and 68 whose heads are accessible from outside the casing, as may best be seen in Figure 3.

Member 66 has two extending portions or arms 69 and it which are arched downwardly, as viewed in Figure 4, and extend between the poles of identical magnets H and 72 respectively thereby serving to hold the magnets adjacent the fixed contacts. Member 66 has two upturned ears 'i l and 75 which carry a pin Hi rigidly attached thereto. Bosses T! and "i8 extend upwardly from plate 45 and are slotted T3 and 38 to receive pin 16. A fiber member 8%, having the same general configuration as member 53 underlies member 68 and extends between portions 69 and 10 and magnets H and 12 respectively. From the above description it will be apparent that the pin 16 may be raised or lowere within the slots '59 and by adjusting screws 3! and 58. Although pin 16 can be adjusted to the uppermost portions of slots 73 and 8%, magnets ll and 32 will be securely held on plate since portions 59 and 70 are somewhat resilient and are bent downwardly as previously pointed out.

Pivotally mounted on the pin i8 is a contact carrying lever or rocker member generally by numeral 83. Lever 83 is shown in detail in the exploded view, Figure l, and its operatire, mounted position is shown in Figure 2. Contact carrying lever 83 comprises a central fiber member 85 having riveted thereto a member which has as viewed in Figure 4 two downwardly extending hinge pintle receiving ears 8% ill. With. lever 83 in mounted position the ears E6 and ii? are adjacent the inner faces of the cars it and 55 respectively, as may be seen in Figure 2, and pin 16 extends loosely through holes 5:; in cars 86 and 8'! thereby forming a central, pivotal mounting for the lever 83. Attached to each end of member 34 are offset brackets 92 93 having extending tabs 94 which firmly grip member fi l.

The offset portion SI of bracket has two upstanding tabs 95 and as. A contact bar 9"! two projections 99 and Hill which extend loosely through rectangular openings in the tabs and 95 respectively, permitting limited rotational movement of bar ill relative to bracket 32. Bar 5! has a movable contact ii and a thin resilient strip [02 riveted to one of its ends, the Hi2 having the same general configuration as bar Ell as best be seen in Figure 5. A second movable contact N33 is mounted on the free end of stdp M32. The contacts l0! and I93, bar ill, and strip 102 form a bridging contact structure adapted to bridge the electrical gap between fixed contacts 47 and 48 when they are engaged by movable contacts l0] and I03 respectively, may best be seen in Figure 5. The offset portion 9| serves as an armature for the magnet Ii thus serving to provide for snap opening and. closing of the contacts in a manner well known in the art. The extreme end of bracket s2 is notched to receive an appropriately notched connecting means or insulating link 22 having a notched end I36 which, with the mechanism in assembled position, is attached to the notched end of strip it, as may best be seen in Figure 2. The other end of the member 84 has secured thereto a bracket and contact mechanism including mow able contacts I01 and I08 which cooperate with fixed contact 49 and 50 respectively, and armature Hill which cooperates with magnet 12. This contact structure is in all respects identical with that previously described.

From the above it will be apparent that lever 83 and its associated contacts form the movable portion of a double throw, bridging contact structure, and that, as viewed in Figure 4, a

downward movement of link 22 will pivot lever 83 about pin 16 in a direction to bridge the electrical gap between contacts 4'! and 48 with a snap motion and will open the electrical gap between contacts 49 and 50. An upward movement of link 22 will, conversely, open the contacts 41 and 48 and close the electrical gap between contacts 49 and 50,

In operation, referring to Figures 2 and 3, the assembled mechanism may be mounted on a hot water storage tank M by means of bracket l3. Bracket l3 has a cut out portion of the same general configuration as the open face of casing l B so that the bimetal strip [9 is exposed to heat radiating from the tank 14. As shown in Figure 2, the post 21 is set in some intermediate position, for example, a position corresponding to a control point of 150 F. Strip ['9 is in its cold position indicating the water in tank I4 is at a temperature lower than the control point setting of 150 F. Under these conditions the contacts it l t8 and "53-41 connected to terminal screws all and 58 are closed and the contacts Hl'l58 and l085il connected to terminals 59 and 60 are open. These terminals may be connected to suitable apparatus (not shown) for changing the temperature of the contents of tank Id. Should the temperature of the contents of tank It increase to a value greater than 150 F, the control point setting, the additional heat radiated from the sidewall of tank id to the bimetal strip I9 will cause it to move downwardly (as viewed in Figure 2) to open contacts ll-43 and ii!34! and close contacts illl49 and Iti8-50.

One of the more important steps in the mass production of thermostatic switching apparatus, especially of the magnetic snap action type, is the calibration of the apparatus after assembly, so that small variations in the dimensions of the component parts will not cause unbalance or variation in the work required to actuatethe switching mechanism from one to the other of its aiternative positions. The work required to actuate the switching mechanism is equal to the product of the average force applied to actuate l the switching mechanism and the total travelor movement necessary to accomplish such actuation. In order to function properly and uniformly when assembled in cooperative relation with its corresponding condition responsive element, each of the switching mechanisms produced must require the same, predetermined amount of Work for actuation. In each switching mechanism, therefore, the actuating force and the switch travel must be held to the predetermined values.

Referring now to Figure 6, which schematically shows lever 83, magnets 'H and 12, and associated contacts it will be noted that with lever 83 in its solid line position, the force required to actuate lever 83 to its broken line position 33 is determined principally by the closed contact armature gap between the pole face H3 and the armature H4. This gap may be adjusted by means of contact screw 50 so that the actuating force required to move the lever 83 from its solid line position to its broken line position 83 is the required, predetermined force. Likewise, the actuating force required to move lever 83 from its broken line position 83' to its solid line position may be made to equal the predetermined amount by adjustment of contact screw 4'! which adjusts the gap between pole face H2 and armature H5. Since the two magnets are of equal magnetic strength, the two closed contact armature gaps, l. e. the gap between pole face H3 and armature H4 and the gap between pole face H2 and armature I IE, will be equal. Thus one component of the work required to actuate the switch, the actuating force, may be adjusted to the required, predetermined value. The other component, the switch travel (which can be defined as the vertical distance between the armature in its solid line position I I4 and its broken line position H4) is dependent on the height of pin 16 above the base 45, and (since the closed contact armature gaps are fixed by the value of the predetermined, actuating force) upon the height of magnets H and i2. As long as the dimensions measuring the vertical distance between pin 16 and base and the height of magnets H and 12 are held within close tolerances, each switching mechanism produced will have the required, predetermined switch travel, i. e., the distance between the solid line position and broken line position Hit) of armature lid will be the same for each switch produced and will equal the predetermined value.

If, however, the above mentioned dimensions are not held within close tolerances, for example, if one of the magnets ('H) is slightly'shorter than magnet 12, as illustrated in Figure 7, the switch travel will deviate from the predetermined value and, in the example illustrated in Figure '7 will be greater than the predetermined, optimum switch travel shown in Figure 6. This will be apparent since, if magnet H has a pole face H2 which is below pole face I [3 of the magnet 12 contact screw 41 must be adjusted to a lower position in order to establish the required closed contact armature gap between pole face I I2 and the armatures broken line position 5 i5. Since this contact screw 4'! acts as a stop for lever 83 in its broken line position 83' and since, of necessity, its position is lower than its position in Figure 6, the switch travel (the vertical distance between the solid line position of armature H4 and its broken line position Ht) will thus be greater in the illustration of Figure 7 than in the illustration of Figure 6 where both magnets are of the proper dimensions.

Figure 8 is similar to Figure 7 in that one of the magnets (ll) is shorter than magnet 72, but embodies a feature of the present invention in that the vertical position of pin 15 may be adjusted to position 18' (by means of adjustment screws 61 and 68, Figure 4, as previously pointed out) to compensate for the variation in the dimension of magnet H and establish the proper, predetermined switch travel even though the magnets are not of the proper dimension. This will be apparent from a comparison of Figures 6, 7 and 8. In Figure '7, after the required closed contact armature gaps are established by adjustment of contact screws 41 and 5D, the switch travel is greater than the predetermined amount illustrated in Figure 6. However, if, as illus trated in Figure 8, the position of pin T6 is adjusted to position 16', the switch travel will thereby be made to equal the required, predetermined amount illustrated in Figure 6 wherein the magnets H and 12 are of uniform, correct dimension. It will be readily apparent that by adjusting pin 16 upwardly or downwardly compensation may be made (and the switch travel thus be made uniform) for any variation in the vertical dimension of magnets H and 12 or the thickness of base 45, for example where both magnets are oversize in vertical dimension, or both magnets undersize in vertical dimension.

The advantages thus gained in the mass production of switching mechanisms are obvious.

Figure 9 shows the switching mechanism previ ously described but modified into single pole form. This single pole modification differs from the double pole type in that one Of the bridging contact assemblies and its associated fixed contacts and magnet are omitted. Cradle member 66' is similar to cradle member as (Fig. 4) but has only one extending portion serving to hold the single magnet H in place. Contact carrying lever 83' differs from lever 88 (Fig. 2) in that it is formed from a single metal stamping and has a central tongue il'! struck therefrom which acts as a stop for lateral movement of the contact bar 91'. The lever 83 also has a tongue H8 which is bent so as to engage the inner face of switch plate 45 when the contacts M 403 and adjacent identical contacts (not shown) are open, and to be spaced a short distance from plate 45 when the contacts 41-i0i are closed, as shown in Figure 9. The closed contact armature gap and thus the force required to actuate the switch from its closed contacts position to its open contacts position may be adjusted by means of adjustable contact screw ll and the adjacent identical contact screw (not shown). If magnet H is not of proper height, and the travel of the switching mechanism is therefore not the desired amount, the switch travel. may be adjusted to the desired, predetermined value by means of calibrating screw and its jacent, identical calibrating screw (not shown). Since the single throw switching mechanism shown in Fig. 9 has therein only one magnet and armature, it will be evident that, if the size cf the magnet or associated parts varies only slightly, the switching mechanism may also calibrated by merely drawing magnet ii down tight against the wall 45', by means of screw ti" and its adjacent identical adjusting screw, and then adjusting the force necessary to open the contacts by adjusting the height of the fixed contact 41' and its adjacent identical fixed contact, as previously described.

Various modifications coming within the spirit of the invention may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and hence the invention is not to be limited to the specific form shown, except to the extent indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switching mechanism of the double throw type, a base, a cradle member supported on one side of said base and movable vertically relative thereto, a contact carrying lever pivctally mounted intermediate its ends on said cradle, a plurality of movable contacts supported on each end of said lever, a plurality of fixed contacts adjustably extending from said one side of said base opposite each of said movable contacts for engagement there with, said movable contacts at one end of said lever and their adjacent fixed contacts forming a first set of contacts, said movable contacts at the other end of said lever and their adjacent fixed contacts forming a second set of contacts, magnetic means mounted on said one side of said base and resiliently held in mounted position by said cradle, armature means secured to said lever for coaction with said magnetic means, actuating means for pivotally moving said lever relative to said base between a first position at which said first set of contacts are in engagement and said second set of contacts are disengaged and a second position at which said second set of contacts are in engagement and said first set of contacts are disengaged, and adjusting means including an adjusting screw accessible from the other side of the base for vertically moving said cradle relative to said base to vary the distance said lever must be pivotally moved to travel between said first position and said second position.

2. In a switching mechanism of the double throw type, a base, a cradle member supported on one side of said base and movable vertically relative thereto, a contact carrying lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said cradle, a movable contact carried on each end of said lever, a fixed contact extending from said one side of said base opposite each or" said movable contacts for engagement therewith, said movable contact at one end of said lever and its adjacent fixed contact forming a first set of contacts, said movable contact at the other end of said lever and its adjacent fixed contact forming a second set of contacts, magnetic means mounted on said one side of said base and resiliently held in mounted position by said cradle, armature means secured to said lever for coaction with said magnetic means, actuating means for pivotally moving said lever relative to said base between a first position at which said first set or contacts are in engagement and said second set of contacts are disengaged and a second position at which said second set of contacts are in engagement and said first set of contacts are disengaged, and adjusting means including an ad lusting screw accessible from the other side of the base for vertically moving said cradle relative to said base to vary the distance said lever must be pivotally moved to travel between said first position and said second position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNlTED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,940 Massa Apr. 1928 1,097,400 Dixon 19, 1914 1,989,277 Jeffrey Jan. 29, 2,192,633 Beam Mar. 5, 1940 2,229,022 Shaw a Jan. 14, 1941 2,269,868 Shaw Jan. 13, 1942 2,410,055 Frerer Oct. 29, 1946 2,448,772 Clare et a1 Slept. 7, 1948 2,460,837 Malone Feb. 8, 1949 2,582,834 Kautz Jan. 15, 1952 

